Party Membership and Activism in a New Democracy: Evidence from the Portuguese Case

Paula Do Espírito Santo,Bruno Ferreira Costa,Marco Lisi

doi:10.1590/001152582018165

Paula Do Espírito Santo, Bruno Ferreira Costa + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1590/001152582018165

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Abstract

ABSTRACT While the analysis of party models and types of party members has been widely discussed at the theoretical level, empirical research has not attracted similar attention. This study contributes to filling this gap by examining an understudied case, namely party members in Portuguese political parties. The key objective of this article is to make a contribution to the study of activism and dedication to the party, in a comparative perceptive, considering different types of parties. The survey applied was based on an on-line questionnaire conducted within the MAPP (Members and Activists of Political Parties) research network. The dataset included members of several parties ranging from typical catch-all parties (PS - Socialist Party; PSD - Social Democratic Party) to elite-based types (CDS-PP - Social Democratic Centre-Popular Party), as well as 'movement' party types (BE - Left Bloc; LIVRE). The study covers four main dimensions of party membership: party members' socio-demographic profile, ideological attitudes, reasons for joining the party, and activism levels and types. We show that party membership in Portugal follows similar trends to other advanced European democracies, albeit with important differences between parties. These results are an important barometer for measuring the quality of democracy, especially one as young as Portugal's.

Highlights

The role of political parties in contemporary democracies is changing and significant transformations have occurred in terms of organisational characteristics
The findings suggest that party membership tends to be disproportionately male and that affiliates are older than the general population (Scarrow and Gezcor 2010: 8-9; van Haute and Gauja 2015: 195)
In western democracies political parties are witnessing the emergence of new forms of political participation, the use of modern social networks and changes in communication patterns, along with more bureaucratic parties with closer ties to the state apparatus

Summary

Introduction

The role of political parties in contemporary democracies is changing and significant transformations have occurred in terms of organisational characteristics. Parties are experiencing two common trends: an increasing personalisation (Poguntke and Webb 2005), on the one hand, and a crisis of membership organisations on the other (van Biezen et al 2012). These trends have especially affected the characteristics and roles played by the ‘party on the ground’. A number of studies have shown that parties are increasingly disconnected from society and that partisan forms of mobilisation have declined (Dalton et al 2000; van Biezen et al 2012).

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